Alaskan Cruise Photo Tour 2010 | Summer & Autumn Excursions/Tours | Photo Tips
It’s summer! … Finally.
Although cooler than average this spring, our Wildflower One-Day Excursions were a great success. Participants enjoyed learning and photographing some of Mid-Michigan’s most inspiring subjects. From early ephemerals to fresh summer blooms, Mother Nature’s floral displays certainly presented sights to behold in every viewfinder. Please see the results at the Spring Wildflowers 2009 participant gallery, available soon at www.greatlakesphototours.com. We offer more exciting excursions with the introduction of 2 new events this August and 4 more ‘Colorful’ one-day Eco/Photo Excursions this October. We’re also looking forward to The Homestead’s Autumn Dunes Photo Tour Weekend and a special change to our Copper Country Color Photo Tour Spectacular, but perhaps our biggest news to share is as big as the state itself
Great Lakes Photo Tours is excited to announce our
Sponsored by Drolett Travel and Holland America Cruise Lines.
Obviously there’s much to talk about so let’s get started!
An 11-day Cruise/Photo Tour through Alaska, including 2 nights in Denali National Park, offers a fantastic way to experience and photograph our most awe-inspiring state. In partnering with Drolett Travel and Holland America Cruise Line, Great Lakes Photo LLC will spend twice as much time exploring Denali as any other cruise line. From majestic Mt. McKinley, wildlife to wildflowers, plus plenty of on-board photography sessions throughout the journey, this is your once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to join GLPT for our ultimate photo tour.
Itinerary
Departing from Vancouver, BC, we’ll cruise along the Alaskan coast through fiords, past pods of whales and disappearing glaciers. Photo tour guests will benefit from many on-board seminars and on-deck photography sessions during the entire cruise. After a one-day glacier excursion in Juneau and several other ports-of-call, we’ll motor coach to Denali National Park to see the sights and the best Mother Nature has to offer. We’ll return to Anchorage aboard the McKinley Explorer train, which will present unbelievable photographic opportunities from its 360-degree glass-top vantage point.
This special cruise/photo tour offers incredible value to a location so photographically rich, it ranks number one most traveler’s “must-see” list. The earlier you reserve your space, the more you save. Drolett Travel even offers a “layaway plan” to budget for the trip on a monthly basis.
Full tour details can be found on the Tours page. If you’re interested and would like to be kept abreast with on-going information about this special cruise/photo tour or you’d like to download a PDF flyer, please email: info [at] greatlakesphototours [dot] com. You’re also welcome to call us at: 517.230.1655 with any other questions you may have.
WMEAC’s Summer Fen Habitat One-day Eco/Photo Excursion takes place on Saturday, August 22nd, 9:30am – 4:30pm at various fen habitats within Michigan’s Barry State Game Area. Join us as we visually explore native orchids, rare wildflowers, insectivorous plants and a host of other specialized flora and fauna.
WILDTYPE’S Summer Wildflowers One-day Eco/Photo Excursion happens on Sunday, August 30th, 9:30am – 4:30pm at WILDTYPE Design, Native Plants & Seed LTD., in Mason, Michigan. Have fun learning the basics of nature photography while photographing native summer wildflowers, all in one special day and location.
The Homestead Resort’s Autumn Dunes Eco/Photo Tour Weekend in Glen Arbor, Michigan is an exceptional shooting location and lodging experience. The splendor of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and the quaintness of the Leelanau Peninsula offer outstanding scenic views of sweeping sand dunes, vast Lake Michigan shorelines and charming farm scenes, all a glow with the colors of the season. A favorite of participants!
Copper Country Color Alumni Eco/Photo Tour begins October 4th and concludes on the 10th, peak color time all around our home base of Baraga, Michigan. This ultimate Great Lakes Photo Tour is the Disney World of autumn color adventures! This year, it’s doubly exciting and double the savings. The ‘Copper Country’ is now our alumni tour as well so if you’ve ever participated in one of our Eco/Photo Excursions or Tours, you’re invited to join us for this special tour at half the regular tuition price – a little gift from us for your continued patronage. That’s not all – even if you’ve never joined us before, this is your perfect opportunity because the savings continue to double with our offer of a two-for-one price. Bring a friend or family member and join us for a single regular tuition price. This event is every photographer’s visual paradise and the perfect color tour vacation for all.
Autumn Colors Eco-Photo Excursions, October 23rd, 24th, 30th and 31st take place in some of Mid-Michigan’s most colorfully scenic locations. Our one-day excursions are the perfect introduction or refresher course for every photographer, plus they always provide great subject matter in every viewfinder.
For more information, please visit our Tours page, email: info@greatlakesphototours.com or call 517-230-1655.
Better Scenery Photographs during your Summer Vacation:
When shooting vacation photos this summer, consider adjusting exposure compensation (that +/- button on your camera) to improve color and detail in your images. Whether a button on the back of the camera or a feature located within the camera, great scenery shots often call for an adjustment of the exposure. Your camera is STILL ON AUTOMATIC, but on an automatic setting you can adjust.
So, photograph the scene with the settings your camera picks followed by a shot at -2/3 (some cameras list this as -.07; either way it’s 2 clicks to the minus). Take your second shot at this setting and compare them on your computer screen. You will probably find better color and exposure in the highlights (where digital cameras lose information) on the adjusted image. Experiment with various settings until you find the setting you like the best for this type of scenery photograph.
Experience provides you with the knowledge to adjust your exposure with the Exp. Compensation control to obtain images with better color saturation and detail while still leaving the camera on automatic.
It looks to be a very exciting ‘photo finish’ for 2009 and an equally thrilling year of adventure in 2010 with our new Alaskan Cruise Photo Tour — Plan to join us!
Have a great summer and happy shooting!
Spring Wildflowers Excursions | Speaker/Presenter | Bob’s Photo Tips
Happy Spring 2009!
Sandhill Cranes returned in mid February, Red-winged Blackbirds on the 27th and our Eastern Bluebirds have already inspected every available nesting box a dozen times over, by our accounts – it’s spring! Next, we’ll be photographing spring wildflowers, from the first ephemerals to the early summer blooms, during six exciting one-day eco/photo excursions. We’re also pleased to announce our new ‘Speaker/Presenter’ programs for your special conference or group meeting. Plus, it’s time once again for a little spring cleaning. Bob’s Photo Tips will get you ready for all the great photo opportunities just ahead.
Here’s more springtime details…
Photographing Nature 101: ‘Spring Wildflowers’ April 24, 25, May 1, 2, 29 and 30.
(See our complete schedule and details on the tours page)
Our 2009 “Spring Wildflowers” excursions will be the best ever, with six separate dates to choose from! Each offers a different ‘In-the-field’ shooting location. Joining us for every springtime excursion substantually increases your knowledge of photography and introduces you to some of the very best wildflowers and natural habitats in the entire Mid-Michigan area! As a special bonus, if you sign-up for five Spring Wildflowers Excursions, you attend the sixth one for FREE!
GLPT was happy to present a program this past weekend at the 22nd Annual Michigan Wildflower Conference (www.wildflowersmich.net), held at the Kellogg Center of Michigan State University, in East Lansing, MI. We shared many helpful nature photography tips and photos with fellow nature lovers. We congratulate Karen Bender, who attended this year’s conference and entered Great Lakes Photo Tours’ special drawing. She is the WINNER of a FREE 2009 One-Day Spring Wildflowers Eco/Photo Excursion. We’re looking forward to seeing you this spring Karen, during an excursion of your choice! We’d also like to thank Guitar Stylist, Dan Kirchner, for providing the beautiful LIVE guitar accompaniment during our GLPT presentation. For those of you lucky enough to be in attendance during Dan’s performance, but missed the opportunity to purchase his wonderfil music for yourself, here is Dan’s contact information: T.989.772.0174
Parkwood YMCA’s ‘Red Cedar River Habitat’, Tuesday, April 28th – Senior Day & Sunday, May 31st – Family Day. You’re invited to visually explore this special native ecosystem from beaver markings to owl cavities, from river scenes to wildflowers! Please contact the Parkwood YMCA at: T.517.332.8657 or k2king [at] ymcaoflansing.org for more information and registration.
West Michigan Environmental Action Council’s ‘Summer Fen’ Habitat, Saturday, August 22nd. Join WMEAC’s exciting photo/field trip to one of our most unique and specialized eco-systems. Native orchids, rare wildflowers, insectivourous plants and much more await the budding naturalist/photographer! Please contact Patricia Pennell at: T.616.451.3051 ext. 29 or email her at ppennell@raingardens.org for more information and registration.
WILDTYPE’s ‘Summer Wildflowers’, Sunday, August 30th. A detailed look into the aesthetic charm of summer wildflowers, this one-day excursion will show you how to capture their beauty forever! Please contact WILDTYPE at: T.517.244.1140 or email wildtype [at] msu.edu for more information and registration.
Custom one-day excursions can also be created for your special group or gathering. Please contact GLPT at: info@greatlakesphototours.com for more information or for bookings.
Great Lakes Photo L.L.C. is pleased to offer our special Speaker/Presenter services for your next business conference or group meeting. An Informative, artistic,1-hour nature photography seminar for the general audience. Please contact us for further information or booking engagements.
Given the present state of our world economy, Great Lakes Photo Tours is thrilled to offer four spectacular and economical 2 – 3 day eco/photo tours this May and June. Great getaway weekends at incredibly affordable prices, you’‘ll take the pictures to prove it!
We’ll begin by exploring a beautiful corner of Michigan and enjoying deluxe accomodations during The Homestead Resort’s, ‘Spring Dunes’ 2-day Eco/Photo Tour, May 8th – May 10th, in Glen Arbor, MI. Sweeping Great Lakes scenery combined with exquisit spring wildflower photography awaits those who appreciate an unparalled perspective. Hurry, registration deadline is April 8th.
Our ‘Drummond Island’ 3-day Eco/Photo Tour, May 14th – 17th, offers a unique glimpse into one the Great Lakes best kept secrets. Mystic, rugged shorelines, reminiscent of northern Maine, conceal Fairy Slipper orchids & Dwarf Lake Iris under boughs of spruce and balsam. This special tour defines the word ‘enchantment’. Registration deadline is April 14th.
The Bruce Peninsula (Canada) 3-day Eco/Photo Tour, June 4th – 7th, showcases one of the most breath-takingly beautiful coastlines in the entire Great Lakes region. Accented with thousands of Yellow Lady’s-slipper orchids, this tour is to photographers and nature lovers, what Disneyland is to 6-year olds. Have your Passports ready! Registration deadline is May 4th.
If you appreciate native flora & fauna, exceptional scenic overlooks of forests & waterways, then Michigan’s ‘Sunrise-Side’ is the place for you during our Timber Country Spring 2-day Eco/Photo Tour, June 12th – 14th. Here, the road less traveled by offers the best vantage points! Registration deadline is May 12th.
Please visit the tours page for further information.
Check your gear for the spring shooting season!
As you prepare to photograph wildflowers and other spring scenes, review your equipment to ensure it’s as ready as you are!
Batteries and memory cards
If your camera gear sat most of the late fall and winter, pull the batteries and give them a full charge. Remember that today’s rechargeable battery systems are designed to lose their charge as they sit unused. Spring also presents a great time to “format” your memory cards. This wipes ALL information off the card and leaves you with a clear, fully functional recording device.
Cameras
Use your “swiffer” type dusting cloth to remove dust from the camera body as well as the memory card slot and battery compartment. Removing debris from these areas helps to prevent it from finding its way inside the camera. Use a microfiber cleaning cloth to clean the lens and eyepiece along with the LCD screen. Never clean your mirror with any other object inside the camera on a changeable lens body.
Camera Support
Now is a great time to give your tripod or other camera support an inspection. Be certain dirt, oil or grime from last year (or winter, if you’re really dedicated) has not lodged around controls, locking mechanisms or sliding leg parts. Keeping such debris off operating parts allows your tripod to work more smoothly and last years longer.
Also check your remote release for batteries (if required) and operation. This is another tool that does not like dust, dirt or grime.
We look forward to seeing you at a Great Lakes Eco-Photo event this Spring!
Sign-up friends & family to receive a discount off your next Great Lakes Photo Excursion or Tour!
Thanks again and :-) shooting!
Mark & Bob
GREAT LAKES PHOTO TOURS
506 W. Main Street
DeWitt, MI 48820-9501
T.517.230.1655
“We take pride in promoting awareness and appreciation for our natural resources, encouraging through artistic enjoyment and ecological education, the necessity of environmental preservation.”
— GLPT Mission Statement
